Well folks, the announced lineup is complete now for the 6th Annual Atlanta’s Holiday Hootenanny, and I have to say it’s a good’un! TDawg Presents is once again thrilled to bring Grammy winner and recent Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Jim Lauderdale to the Holiday Hootenanny stage as well as the revered Rev. Jeff Mosier and 2014 Rockygrass Dobro Competition Winner Jared Womack! Needless to say, we’re in for a treat!

Here is a list of the absolutely amazing performers who will be taking the stage at Terminal West on Sunday, December 18. We are truly blessed with amazing talent in the ATL, something not taken for granted but greatly appreciated and loved!

This past weekend the Frank Hamilton School Band kicked off the main stage at the Virginia Highland SummerFest at Noon with a rousing set that was followed by FHS Concert Series paticipant Donna Hopkins (Sept 1 @ Red Light Cafe with Daniel Hutchens). Later that evening, the Frank Hamilton and the band performed an outstanding set at the Hungry Ear Coffee House.

We are thrilled about the upcoming concerts that are part of the Frank Hamilton School Concert Series! This summer between now and the end of August, expect some outstanding performances from some homegrown talent, high octane North Carolina acoustic energy, the celebration of the music of one of the most important visionaries of the past 50 years, and a critically acclaimed Southern songwriter with a theatrical flare. Scroll on down for more details!

We also have plans to participate in some free outdoor summer activities so please stay tuned as we continue to move forward. There are many wonderful things ahead involving FHS both on the class side and the community outreach side, and now is a special time to become involved as a volunteer, a student, a patron of the concerts or attendee at a free public event. There is a great energy out there, and we at the Frank Hamilton School are ready to bring it to all of you!

The Frank Hamilton School Concert Series brings the captivating Southern minstrel from LA (Lower Alabama) and former New Orleanian Grayson Capps for an evening of songs that simply suck you in they’re so good. To witness Grayson in action is a beautiful thing and I’m sure you’ll think so, too. Currently touring with his guitarist Corky Hughes or with the superstar Americana outfit Willie Sugarcapps, you will be blown away by Grayson’s stage presence – he certainly applies his theater degree from Tulane into his performance – and his ability to tell a story. More…

Formed in early 2014, The Josh Daniel/Mark Schimick Project is a fiery string band blending bluegrass, soul, reggae and rock n’ roll into a style uniquely their own. Respecting their Appalachian roots, these passionate multi-instrumentalists have a way of blending their harmonies and intricate string work in to something that appeals to a wide variety of listeners.

“A little of everything finds its way into their sound.” – Jim Lauderdale

Jeff Mosier will open the evening with a rousing solo set that will leave you captivated and wanting more. I’m certain there will be some jamming going this evening! More…

The Frank Hamilton School is excited to present an amazing lineup of musicians paying tribute to one of the most influential musicians of the last several generations and the creator of his own style called Dawg Music, David Grisman. For nearly half a century, mandolinist/composer/producer Grisman has been at the forefront of the always evolving world of acoustic music, weaving in and out of many genres, tradition and styles.

Bluegrass, Jazz & Latin are just a few of the styles that will be represented throughout this performance, so sit back, relax, and take in the musical notes of Grisman as seen through this A-list of musicians who will be bringing you the music this evening. it is an honor to pay homage to such a musician as David Grisman, who has influenced so many musicians either through being a member of the David Grisman Quintet (or Sextet) or through any number of his collaborations with a who’s who of American string music or simply as a fan being turned onto something so incredible. Don’t miss this one!

Smokey’s Farmland Band blends musical influences ranging from bluegrass to gypsy jazz to Cajun, creating a progressive sound they like to call “Goodtime Eclectic Bluegrass”. While they enjoy venturing outside the realm of the traditional, they still respect the roots of bluegrass, and retain the energy and twang of mountain music. A typical set features original tunes, good ol’ pickin numbers, and some unexpected covers too. It all comes together in an exciting genre-bending style that keeps listeners on their toes, and on the dance floor!

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Come on out to any and all of these shows, as they are going to be REALLY GOOD! On a personal note, I can say that I am truly happy to be doing this job, as it allows me to continue bringing you some great music, and as the School grows, so will the concerts! Please consider participating as a donor, a patron, a volunteer, a student! Please spread the good word about what we’re doing.

The forecast for Friday and Saturday is a beautiful one! We can’t wait for the music to start up on Friday night! We hope you can come on Friday, as we have Wildman Steve’s band, Blackberry Possum, kicking off the weekend high energy jamgrass and some special guests throughout. These fellas are highly skilled and will blow your mind. They’ll do two long sets so get ready! Bring your hammocks, too, as we’ll have some edge domes set up for your enjoyment, not to mention the jungle gym effect 😉 This is really going to be a fun weekend with friends and family, and the music is going to be off the chains!

The primary goal of a TDawg’s Back Porch Hootenanny has never been about bringing in the headliner that draws the big crowd – it’s about the extremely high quality of musicians and those in attendance joining forces for a incredible experience that leaves you happily decompressed from the rigors of your daily lives. You always leave with a new band in your head and memories of unique combinations of the participating musicians.

Below is the schedule for the weekend.

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SCHEDULE

SHED STAGE, FRI APRIL 1

8:30PM – 11:30PM > Blackberry Possum

SHED STAGE, SAT APRIL 2

Noon – 1:20PM > Smokey’s Farmland Band

2:10PM – 3:40PM > The Rickety Crickets

4:35PM – 6:05PM > Ralph Roddenbery Band

7:00PM – 8:30PM > Caroline Aiken

9:25PM – 10:55PM > Rev. Jeff Mosier & Friends

11:25PM – 1:00AM > Strung Like A Horse

MOMS/GRATEFUL FRED STAGE, SAT APRIL 2

1:25PM – 2:10PM > MOMS Jam

3:45PM – 4:30PM > The Ain’t Sisters

6:10PM – 6:55PM > Brian Ashley Jones

8:35PM – 9:20PM > Donna Hopkins & Friends

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Below is the video (filmed at Cherokee Farms no less!) for Gypsy Jane by Strung Like A Horse. Enjoy!

Well folks we’re only 10 days out from what promises to be one of the finest Hootenannies yet September 19-20! You can get your advance tickets by visiting the official TDawg’s Back Porch Hootenanny page and clicking on either FRI-SAT or SAT only – both include camping!

Atlanta’s Rolling Nowhere just successfully completed their first tour out West, and let’s just say it rejuvenated and inspired the fellas, and they’re gonna bring it to you on Saturday afternoon September 20! Below is a live video from a performance in Nashville a few months back, showcasing their rockin’ and raucous sound – comin’ right atcha!

Chattanooga’s own Strung Like A Horse has been tearing it up for several years now, and TDawg Presents is excited to have them as a staple of TDawg’s Back Porch Hootenanny! Their unique brand of music, which they affectionately describe as Gypsy-Punk-Garage-Grass, will have you boogeyin’ late into the night! Check’em out below in a clip from Music City Roots.

Y’all this is going to be a BIG time! Don’t miss out on it – get your tickets now!

The consensus speaks loud and clear that the 16th edition of TDawg’s Back Porch Hootenanny was completely transcendent on so many levels. The musical energy seemed to flow seamlessly throughout the grounds, and EVERYONE in attendance had their groove on from start to finish. Every performance was a highlight in one way or another, and Big Daddy Love especially has raised the bar for the Friday night showcase set. They rocked it for 3 1/2 hours with special guests throughout to our strongest Friday night crowd yet. The weather cleared and we knew we were in for a special weekend, and we ended up having our largest crowd since spring of 2012! Please mark your calendars for FRI/SAT SEPT 19-20 for the 17th edition of TDawg’s Back Porch Hootenanny!!!

THANKS especially to EVERYONE directly involved in the Hootenanny process: my darlin’ wife Stephanie, Tamara and the box office posse, Linda & Ben, Drew and the kitchen crew, Paul Diaz & Tree Sound Studios, the amazing folks from Music On Main Street, Wildman Steve & Spike, and of course Smokey & Debbie, without whom we wouldn’t even be able to use the beautiful property known as Cherokee Farms and whose generosity permeates throughout the land! Last and absolutely not least, THANKS to the musicians who give it their all and YOU, the audience, who responds so resoundingly well to those said musicians, creating a constant whirlwind of musical magic & mayhem!

We are fortunate to have some amazing artists involved in the Hootenanny movement. The fun continues as we incorporate the likes of Seven Handle Circus, Moontower, Copious Jones, Strung Like A Horse, Big Daddy Love, and High Strung String Band back into the mix of future TDawg’s Back Porch Hootenannies while keeping it fresh each and every time. The basic principle behind the Hootenanny is to always KNOW that you’ll leave Cherokee Farms on that Sunday following the Hoot feeling refreshed and recharged in your world and anxiously awaiting the next one! Please spread the good word and bring your friends the next Hootenanny on September 19-20 at Cherokee Farms!